


Stranger

by NaganSavior



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Friendship, Getting Together, Hurt Rick Grimes, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protective Negan (Walking Dead), Protective Rick Grimes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:49:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 16,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25824652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NaganSavior/pseuds/NaganSavior
Summary: Rick comes back to Alexandria about 10 years since he was taken away ,but he finds it impossible to feel part of the group again, it's like he is a stranger to everyone. Could his former arch enemy be the solution to his problems?
Relationships: Rick Grimes/Negan
Comments: 48
Kudos: 66





	1. Chapter 1

It's been a week since Rick Grimes returned home. He had imagined this moment over and over again since Jadis put him in that helicopter and he got taken away. Rick felt so damn tired. It's been a long ten years with a lot of struggles, adversities and being in constant doubts of himself. He had been forced to do horrible things while he was with the CRM and all that because he wanted to survive. His initial return to Alexandria wasn't what he had imagined though. 

Nothing was the same. Alexandrians had been through a lot while he was gone as well. He didn't know details yet but he had heard about the Whisperers and what they did. He felt awful that he wasn't there to help them in these moments of need. Michonne had moved on and he couldn't blame her. She needed someone in her life and that person wasn't he. They may had a chance before all that had happened, but now there wasn't one. Judith had grown up so much and now he had a son as well, RJ. Since he came back nothing had been the same. He didn't seem to be able to feel like he belonged there again.Especially the kids had been ignoring him since he returned and despite his tries they didn't want to talk to him. It's like they didn't even want to be left alone with him. He had tried his hardest to get closer to them and wanted desperately to apologize for not being there for them, but he wasn't even given a chance. Everytime he tried to talk to them,they would find excuses that they had other things to do. It hurt him so bad. 

Rick felt a pang of jealously as they ran to Michonne calling her "mom" and they didn't even want to see him. He couldn't blame them, since they practically didn't know him but he deserved a chance ,he would think. Daryl had also been avoiding him. It was very difficult to fall into their friendship again. He was a stranger to him as well. In fact he was spending more time with Negan than with him. That was the biggest shock of all when he returned. Negan instead of being locked up, was now roaming freely around Alexandria and everyone was in friendly terms with him. Especially Daryl seemed to be more at ease to talk to Negan than him nowadays. 

That hurt him a lot. He didn't know had happened between them after all these years that had bonded them this much but it still didn't sit well with him. Their enemy was talking, laughing and making jokes with his best friend and kids, while he was left all alone. Rick knew it was unfair towards them and that they needed time, but he felt very lonely. They didn't even want to know details of how his last ten years had been. Maybe he should just leave them? Perhaps they couldn't take the fact that he was still alive after thinking for so long he was dead. 

He was in desperate need to talk to someone, to explain why he had to leave them, but everyone had been busy. Noone had time to hear what a pressumed dead man had to say. Rick was barely holding on though and he was on the verge of breaking down emotionally. His dream of finally returning home, had turned into a nightmare.

He saw from a distance Daryl and Negan feeding the animals as Negan told Daryl something that made him laugh. Rick felt bitterness overtaking him as he turned his back at them. Daryl had forgiven Negan for taking him as a prisoner and killing two of their best friends, but the fact that he was forcefully been taken away, he didn't seem that he could forgive. Like Rick had plotted all that and felt joy leaving them alone for such a long time. 

If they didn't want him back to their lives, then he shouldn't force his presence on then. His eyes were stinging as he walked away, trying his hardest not to cry, completely unaware that Negan had been staring at him.


	2. Chapter 2

Rick wasn't even watching where he was going but somehow his steps got him outside of Negan's cell. He looked at the door and felt so weird. It felt like ages ago when he had come to see him and was telling him about this new world he was trying to make. The irony was that he had also said that Negan would never get to see it. If someone hadn't seen it, was himself after all. 

He walked down the stairs and pulled the door which opened with ease. He let it open and walked inside. The cell was mostly dusty by now since noone had been there in years apparently. He walked towards the bars and saw books still laying around. When he was there, Negan wasn't allowed to have anything to his cell. Apparently he had convinced them to give him perks over time. Rick sighed as he looked around him at the miserable cell. Once this place had been one of reassurance for him. That the guy who had caused them so much pain would rot in there. Now he felt absolutely nothing being in that place. It was only a reminder of what he had lost. What he never got to experience. 

Rick turned his back to the cell and walked out. He couldn't stand to be there any longer. He sat at the prison's stairs and looked at the main door with hooded eyes. Out of boredom he grabbed a wheat and started cutting small pieces of it throwing it away. If this situation continued for much longer he would just pack up and leave. That would be the best for everyone. He had done nothing to deserve this behavior. But he also knew that feelings couldn't be forced and if they felt nothing for him, there was nothing he could do about it. 

Suddenly he heard walks behind him and he felt hopeful for a moment that maybe it was someone he so wished would talk to him. He turned his head and to his disappointment he saw Negan who was whistling a tune and was walking towards him. Rick felt very annoyed immediately. He didn't wish to talk to him. He had taken his friend and his family away from him. If it was up to him he would put him in that damn cell and throw the key away so he could never find it again. But now that Negan had everyone's approval, he knew that he couldn't lock him up again. 

Negan stopped by his side and looked down at him as he smirked. 

"Hey neighbor" he told him as he tried to be light towards him. 

Rick didn't answer and instead continued cutting wheat more aggressively than before. 

Negan wasn't discouraged that he didn't talk to him and sat next to him. 

"We didn't find time to catch up" he told him as he gave him a glare. 

"That's because we don't have anything to say" Rick snapped at him. 

"Aw come on Rick, don't be like that" Negan told him trying to understand what was going on through Rick's mind. 

Rick threw the wheat away and turned his full attention to him. 

"If it was up to me, I would put you in a goddamn cell and never let you out again. Don't know how you brainwashed everyone else but for me you are the same. You should be behind bars. So don't try to play it friendly to me. I bet you threw a party when you found out I was supposedly dead" Rick growled. 

Negan lost all his mood and he frowned at him. 

"You don't know shit about me Rick. You never knew and especially not know, being gone for 10 years. I just wanted us to talk for a bit, but I see you're the same prick I remember. So I'll leave you alone to your misery then" he spat out as he stood up abruptly and turned his back to him. 

"Good and don't you ever come near me again!" Rick yelled at him as he stood up as well. 

Negan gave him an angry glare and walked away. 

Rick huffed as he wanted to go after him, just get him on the ground and start hitting him until he was bloody. He didn't care what anyone would think. All he knew was that Negan had to pay.


	3. Chapter 3

Rick put his coat on to protect himself from the cold weather and grabbed his backpack. He would go to one of Alexandria's unvacated houses to stay. Next up was to leave completely. He thought to skip the previous part and go directly to leaving. Noone seemed to want him back. 

He looked at his room one more time and he was surprised that Negan hadn't taken it over by now. At least something was still his in that place. He closed the door behind him and walked down the stairs. Just in time the door opened and he saw Negan with Judith. They both frowned when they looked at him and stood frozen by the door. 

"Where are you going?" questioned Negan coldly. 

Rick shot him an annoyed look. 

"Not that it's your business but I'm going to one unvacated house. This one can't hold us all". He knew that Negan and Daryl were practically raising his kids so they would roam around the house all the time. Kicking them out and taking care of his kids himself ,wasn't an option apparently. 

Judith was looking at him with a sore expression. 

Rick saw it and walked towards her ,kneeling down on one knee. 

"Don't know what kind of stories they told you, but I loved and love you more than my own life" he said to her feeling emotional "both you and Carl. I would never leave you willingly"

"You did though" Judith snapped at him. 

Rick's eyes got filled with pain. 

"I had no other choice" Rick sobbed in front of her. 

Judith averted her eyes bitterly. 

To his surprise Negan didn't make a smartass comment. Rick was mildly surprised. He was Judith's "father" more than him nowadays. 

Rick got up and walked out of the house closing the door behind him with a loud noise. 

\---

Judith and Negan jumped scared at the sound of the door closing. 

Negan walked in front of Judith and he sighed. 

"Don't you think you are too hard on him?" he asked her. 

Judith had tears in her eyes as she looked at him. 

"I don't know him" she cried out "you and uncle Daryl were there for me all these years and he wasn't"

Negan sighed as he gave her a hug. 

"You know me better than anyone else Judith" he told her "but Rick is your dad. I may took his place, somehow, but he needs you and your brother. Don't disown him. I'm sure that he never wished to be away from you, not even for one second. If Rick is anything, is that he is loyal. The fact that he came back for you even ten years later, gotta mean something..."

"I am not sure he can be my dad again" Judith told him as she run up the stairs two steps at a time and closed the door to her room behind her. 

Negan just stared at the floor feeling lost. Rick hated him. Rick wasn't there to see how much he changed. Rick didn't know the pain they had all - including himself - felt when they thought he died at that bridge. Rick would never accept him. 

He dropped himself to the couch and just looked at his hands. He had no idea if or how they could all fix their relationship with Rick. 

It seemed kinda impossible right now. 

How many times had he laid in bed or cot when he was at prison and thought about Rick's return? All these nights that he had tried to comfort Judith because she had a Rick related nightmare. Now that Rick was finally back and alive, noone was able to accept it. Denial had overtaken them. Like they would wake up and realize none of it was real. They had spent years mourning him, then the Whisperers had happened and now they were still trying to pick up their pieces.

Especially for Negan, Rick should be only the guy that caused him to stay locked up for so many years and was threatening to do the same even after this whole time. But he felt so conflicted instead. His brain was telling him that it was illogical to want his enemy - that prick that dared to overthrow him and his heart was telling him that Rick had been through a lot and that he didn't deserve the hatred he was getting.


	4. Chapter 4

"Judith it's time for school" said Daryl as he opened the door to her room. 

"Don't wanna go" Judith told him as she turned her back to him. 

"What? Why?" asked Daryl who was very confused. Judith loved going to school. She wasn't from the kids that used to complain all the time because they were bored. Their teachers had only the best to say about her. 

"Please uncle Daryl, don't question it" she whined "I'll go tomorrow"

Daryl looked at her and decided to not press the subject. 

"Fine" he drawled eventually "I'll let Eugene know that you won't be able to attend his class today"

Judith didn't answer and pulled the cover higher. 

Daryl walked out the room and closed the door behind him. He went downstairs and saw Negan making breakfast. He didn't look happy either. 

"Is Judith up yet?" he questioned as he saw Daryl. 

"Nope" answered Daryl "she won't go today..."

Negan stared at him and sighed exasperated. 

"You know that we got to get our shit together, right? For how long you think we can go on like that?"

"I don't know Negan, ok?" said Daryl as he raised his hands "I'm not ready to deal with all that. Judith shouldn't be influenced by grown up stuff. Just let her rest today and tomorrow I'll take her to school myself" With that he turned his back to him and walked out of the house. 

\---

Daryl found Eugene as the kids were gathering to start the lesson. 

"Good morning" he told him as he greeted him. 

"Mornin Eugene. Look I just wanted you to know that Judith won't come today"

"Why, is she ok?" asked Eugene worried. 

"No-yes, I mean she is fine from health it's just we have family problems at the moment...-"

Eugene looked at him and he knew what kind of problems they had. If anyone understood what Rick went through was himself because Stephanie had been through a lot as well. CRM wasn't a walk in the park. Yet everyone had been very hard on Rick. 

"You and me will have a talk Daryl" he told him decisively "but not now because we start lesson. I do expect to see Judith tomorrow"

"Ok" Daryl mumbled and left. He wasn't looking forward to the talks he had to make. 

\---  
Rick had been awake for almost an hour and he just stared at the ceiling. He had nightmares once again. 

They were becoming more and more vivid. The first weeks in the CRM that were spent with him in a cell. He remembered the cold, the darkness. How many sobbed and screamed at nights. He had always opted to stay quiet. Thought he would draw less attention from the guards. So he had been crying quietly as exhaustion drove him to sleep every night. It was like a maximum level prison. And hell he knew these things even before the Apocalypse. CRM made Alexandria seem like a fun park. 

When they finally thought they could trust him, training had begun. Hard physical training for hours and hours every day. The best survived. That was their "motto". So if someone beat the crap out of you during training it was your fault somehow. He had laid in bed countless times feeling pain all over his body, only to get awaken in the morning to live it all over again. That lasted a whole damn year. A year to even begin gaining their trust. Then he had to learn military operation. How to act and work like a soldier. When he had learned it he was like "screw them, I'm no soldier", but there wasn't a negative answer acceptable for CRM. 

That training had been equally exhausting. " Only a few will make it to the end" , they used to tell them. Rick wanted to give up so many times. But something inside him kept telling him to hold on and he made it eventually. He was one of them. They gave him a very comfortable room, good quality food and everything else he needed. Except from one thing. His freedom. He would sleep and wake up with one thought. To steal one of their damn helicopters. He had learned how to fly one after two years. They were guarding them like they were their most precious belongings though. Soon the days turned to months and the months turned to years. 

The dream of escaping, became just that. A dream.


	5. Chapter 5

Rick decided to go out for a bit to get some fresh air. It was quite a cold morning but at least the sun was shining. He just sat alone at a bench and watched the bright blue sky above his head. He saw Aaron approaching him.

"Hey" he told him "may I sit with you?" Aaron asked like he expected Rick to say no. 

"Of course" Rick answered as he nodded. 

Aaron turned his attention to him. 

"I'm so glad that you are back Rick, I'm sorry that I didn't get the chance to tell you" Aaron told him feeling very emotional. He had truly missed Rick. 

"You are the first person to say that he is glad I'm here..." drawled Rick as he averted his eyes. 

Aaron patted his back to try and comfort him. 

"I am and I'm sorry that I couldn't help you. I really wish I had known...-" drawled Aaron. He felt guilt that he didn't figure out that Rick was alive and taken away. 

"It's like you did Aaron, just by saying these words ,it means a lot to me. Plus you are a father now I've heard" he told him with a small smile. 

Aaron smiled back at him. 

"Yes ,Gracie is the best thing that happened in my life. She has turned into an amazing girl and I couldn't be more proud" 

"I'm really glad to hear it Aaron" Rick told him. 

Aaron stayed in silence as he was thinking how he could ease Rick's pain. 

"If you ever want company come from my house whatever time it is, ok? Wish Gabriel was still with us. He would be very happy to see you. But I'm here for you at all times. We made it through so many difficulties, remember? We can make it once again"

Rick sighed and he looked at the ground. 

"They don't want me here" he told him eventually. 

"Their problem Rick" Aaron said to him as he crossed his arm and his metal one "there are still people who care about you and you should keep that in mind. Gabriel always told me that we should have forgiveness. You did nothing to them. If they can't move on from the past, it's not your fault"

"I just feel like everything got taken from me Aaron" Rick told him as he felt his eyes stinging. "They don't even give me a chance"

"I'm with you Rick" Aaron said in agreement "if they don't want you in their lives because of such petty reasons, they are simply unacceptable"

Suddenly Gracie started calling him from a distance and he had to leave. 

"Come for dinner whenever you want ok?" he told him as he stood up. 

"I will ,thank you Aaron" said Rick as he stood up and gave him a hug. "It was nice to talk to you again"

"Mine too Rick, I'm begging you to just...be patient. No matter how hard it is" he told him pleadingly as he bid him goodbye. 

Rick felt a bit lighter after his talk with Aaron. It was comforting to know that someone did want him back. Even if Daryl and the kids didn't, he could always focus on those who did appreciate him. It would be like he was accepting that Negan won, if he left.

They didn't know him though, not the new Rick. Not anymore. He would stay right there and claim his leadership again. Make what he learned with CRM have some value at least ,even if he had to suffer in order to learn them. 

\---

Judith walked down the stairs and saw Negan washing the dishes. Daryl was not there. 

"Hey" he told her "I'm done in a moment and we can solve some math together, ok? Since you didn't go today, we can do something here"

He knew that she was hurting ,but education came first. They had fought a lot so that the kids could have something close to school again. It shouldn't been taken for granted like he had that first period when he had been locked up and Judith was studying outside of his cell's window. Back then he found it ridiculous that she had to solve math when they were living in the Apocalypse. They needed to be taught things, so that they would never end up like him. Forcing others to work for them and killing them if they didn't comply. 

He was very committed to help Judith become as educated as possible. Yes, wielding a Katana was cool or a baseball bat, like he used to, but that wasn't enough. Judith should grow up with principals and a broadened knowledge of the world. Negan may had screwed up himself but he wouldn't allow the same thing to happen with Judith and RJ. He finished washing the dishes and sat down to see what Judith had to study. 

"Ok let's start with this one..." he told her as he shot her a glare. The kid was obviously not well. At least her relationship with Rick should definitely get restored. 

They had went from Rick hiding her from him, because he thought he would harm her, to Negan growing her up cause Rick was away. That alone was messed up in so many levels. 

He sighed to himself as he tried to help her out.


	6. Chapter 6

Eugene found Daryl moving straw to the side with the carrier. 

"Can we have that talk now?" he told him as soon as he saw him. 

"Fine, talk" said Daryl as he continued what he was doing. 

"Yeah, not like that!" Eugene snapped at him as he got annoyed. 

Daryl stopped eventually and looked at him. 

"This is not you" Eugene told him very disappointed "Why the hell are you acting like that?"

"Nothing is wrong with me" Daryl said dismissively. 

"Oh so it's normal ignoring your best friend who had been pressumed dead for a decade. Didn't know that is what you consider normal" Eugene spat at him as he wasn't a fool like Daryl obviously thought. "I'm warning you. Change your behavior"

"He wasn't here, ok?" Daryl raised his voice at him. "I can't just move on"

Eugene got mad at that. 

"He tried to protect us. Why are you being so angry over something he had no control over? CRM wasn't like us with Negan that he did something good and we let him free. The worst thing is that you don't even care to know what he's been through" Eugene said exasperated. 

"What I'll do with Rick is my issue" Daryl yelled at him "don't interfere"

Eugene frowned at him. He was being extremely unreasonable. 

"Ok as you wish. But do not speak to me again. Just bring Judith to school and do not adress me. Two can play this game, Daryl" Eugene told him coldly and left him alone. 

If he and Negan thought they were better than Rick, they were mistaken. At least Rick didn't lose his humanity despite what he went through. He was afraid that especially Daryl was a lost cause. 

The pain had blinded him and he couldn't see anything past that. That issue would be enough to split them apart. He just knew it. 

\---

Rick woke up early in the morning and an idea popped in his mind. He could go to scavenge. Maybe if he found something useful they would see him differently. That's what he used to do all the time either way. At least now he didn't have the Saviors demanding more and more all the time. It would do him good to get out of there even for some hours. Drive a bit as well, hear some music.

He sighed to himself as he got up from bed. He really missed Carl yelling excitedly in the morning or baby Judith laughing. Now all that could be heard was absolute silence. Rick missed Carl terribly. There wasn't a day that passed that he didn't miss him. If he was there, he would feel stronger. That kid always brought out the best in him. But Carl had been dead for over ten years now. While he was at the CRM he had thought again and again what Negan had told him. 

That he failed as a father. He had all these doubts creeping up on him that he had indeed failed. He had shed so many tears over this one sentence. But he didn't fail him. That was Negan's want to make him feel bad about himself. Not his son's beliefs. Carl had always been caring for others. There was no way either of them could have predicted that he would get bit. So there was no reason to beat himself up over it either. That's not what his boy would have wanted. 

Rick stood up with a heavy heart and got dressed warmly. He grabbed his car's keys and got out. Judith had his python, so he opted for a simple gun in case he needed it. He wouldn't demand her to give it back. At least she had something from himself ,including the hat. Alexandria was still mostly silent as people were gradually starting to wake up. Rick didn't feel the need to tell anyone he would be going out. Not that they cared either way. Back then, they always had each other's backs. Not anymore apparently. 

He turned on the music and some country music was playing. It made him feel better instantly. He opened the window and he felt the cold morning air to his face as he drove away from Alexandria.


	7. Chapter 7

"If the sky that we look upon  
Should tumble and fall  
Or the mountains should crumble to the sea  
I won't cry, I won't cry  
No I won't shed a tear  
Just as long as you stand, stand by me"

Rick was getting emotional again, hearing that song in particular. Everything reminded him of the fact that he was lonely, ignored by people that mattered so much to him. He didn't understand what he did to them. Rick whipped the tears from his eyes. He was such a mess since he came back. He closed the window as he was getting cold and turned off the music as well. Instead he focused on the passing greenery outside. It was much better. 

He had no plan where he was going, just wished he would find something. Even if he didn't though, it didn't matter. Getting away would do him good. People had no expectations from him any longer so it wasn't like he would disappoint someone. He turned to a corner and saw a big house, it looked like it belonged to someone wealthy. Rick considered it and decided to check it out. Then he could go on and find other houses as well. It could have something he could take back to Alexandria. 

He got out of the car, grabbing his gun as well. The front door opened with ease which wasn't such a good sign. It meant that someone had been there already. But still decided to walk inside. The house was a mess as he discovered. There were useless things laying everywhere but nothing that they didn't have already. Rick walked cautiously upstairs to check the other rooms. Suddenly he heard a growl coming from behind him and turned fast around as he fired the gun. The Walker fell down dead and Rick saw that it had been a woman around her thirties. That poor woman, he thought. It still hurt him to have to kill people who had hopes and dreams before they turned into walkers. 

Rick should just leave from there but something was drawing him into one room to the left of the corridor. He had no idea why. This house had already proved it had nothing of value. Rick walked to the room and it turned out it be a toddler's. It still had toys laying around. At the walls there were pictures of that woman he had shot just minutes ago, smiling at the camera holding a baby boy lovingly in her arms. Rick felt his eyes stinging. He didn't want to see all that. He looked around the room and his eyes focused on the crib. Fear overtook him but he couldn't stop himself as he walked closer. He removed the small cover and saw a bloody mess. 

He felt his heart break. That poor woman and her baby. She had hopes, dreams for this baby. Now they were both gone. Rick was crying now. He covered the baby once again as he sobbed. This trip would leave him worse than he already was as it seemed. He felt the need to take some fresh air. It was very wrong stopping there after all. All he saw was pain once again. He turned his back to the crib when suddenly he heard a loud noise from the roof. He barely had time to react as one plank collapsed and fell on him. Rick jumped to the side ,but not before it hit him. 

He groaned in pain as there was dust all over him. Rick tried to sit up but his side hurt a lot. How the hell had that fallen? Probably from the moisture. He opened his shirt expecting to see maybe a cut but his eyes widened as he saw that he had actually bruised his ribs. Not only that but pretty bad also. It had already started turning to a shade of blue. He must have done something shitty in his previous life to deserve all that, Rick thought in despair. He got up with struggle as he gasped in pain. It wasn't enough that he had a horrible scar tissue at his stomach from when had fallen off the horse, now he had bruised ribs as well. He managed to walk back down and got out of that damned house. He wish he had never set foot inside. 

Rick got back to the car and he looked at his injury. Things weren't good at all. This plank had hit him with force when it fell. He hid his face in his palms as he tried to calm down. Rick had no idea how he would be able to drive. "You are gonna drive slowly and you will make it" he told himself ,as he tried to feel some comfort.

"Come on Rick, come on" he thought in repeat "it's just some bruising" 

The pain was a lot though. Rick let out a sob as he bit his lip. 

Staying there wasn't an option. So he turned on the engine and started driving extremely carefully despite his pain. 

He had to believe that he was gonna make it back. He just had to.


	8. Chapter 8

Rick was very close to Alexandria now but the pain was getting more intense. He thought he would bleed from all that lip biting to control himself and not cry. It just hurt a lot. He stopped the car abruptly and checked it out again. The bruising had expanded and now it was a dark shade of blue. How would he fix that? Rick rested his head back and just closed his eyes. He didn't feel like driving any longer. All he wanted to do was to rest. 

It felt like just minutes later when he felt someone shaking him gently. Rick opened his eyes with difficulty and saw a young woman who was wearing a pink furry coat and had black and purple hair. She was looking at him with worry. 

"Hey are you ok?" she questioned as she saw him waking up. 

She had opened the car's door and was above him. Rick got worried that she would be harming him as he saw that big gun hanging from her shoulder. She took notice of his worry though. 

"I won't hurt you" she said calmly "I live at a place called Alexandria. Who are you?"

"Rick Grimes" Rick let out with struggle. 

Her eyes widened at that. 

"No way!" she let out "I so wanted to meet you! I've heard so much about you over the years, can't believe you're alive! We didn't meet because I had been on a trip with Yumiko for some days and just came back..." she babbled excitedly. "Oh I'm Juanita Sanchez by the way or also known as Princess. They must have talked to you about me!"

Rick stared at her and let out a pained cough. It was getting more difficult to breath. 

"I'm sorry but noone did..." he drawled and saw her mood darkening.

"What? Negan, Daryl...? Not even a mention?" she asked ,feeling hurt. 

"No" Rick shook his head "but they don't speak to me in general, it's not just about you..."

"From them I heard almost everything for you..." Princess drawled unsure. She saw that Rick wasn't well though and checked on him instead of making him more dizzy with her constant talking. 

"Oh my God" she let out "what happened to your ribs?"

"A plank fell from a roof..." drawled Rick , feeling very tired. 

"Let me take you back to Alexandria" she said as she made up her mind. 

Rick thought about it. He didn't know this person but she didn't seem like a threat after all. 

"Fine..." he said eventually "but do not tell anyone about my injury. Please, you have to promise me" They didn't care either way. Rick wanted to pass this alone. 

"But..." Princess started. 

"Just please, can you do me this favor?" asked Rick pleadingly. 

"Ok" drawled she hesitantly "but I'll be helping you with that injury. I can't just leave you alone and pretend nothing happened" 

Rick sighed as he walked out of the car with a grunt and got by the passenger's side, letting Princess drive instead of him.


	9. Chapter 9

By the time they reached Rick's house, his side was killing him. Juanita saw that he wasn't well at all and stopped the car fast as she hurried to help him get out. They walked very slowly up the stairs to Rick's new house and she finally got him inside. Thankfully whoever was staying there before him had both pills and first aid kit stuff, which was very helpful now. 

Princess guided Rick to lay down and she helped him remove the shirt. Her eyes widened as she saw the mess that was Rick's upper body. He had scars everywhere and now his side had turned a sickening blue color. She knew well how to take care of injuries since she had to take care of her own when living alone. She grabbed fast what was needed and tied carefully his ribcage. 

"I'm afraid that you will have to stay at home Rick" she told him as she saw him being very weak. 

"It's ok" Rick let out a cough which hurt his ribs even more "I shouldn't have gone to that place, I'll have to pay the price now" he drawled very disappointed. Not only had he not found anything but he got hurt as well. 

Princess felt really bad for him. 

"I'll be coming everyday to help you ok?" she said. She really wanted to help him. It was sad that he was all alone and she couldn't even understand why. 

"You don't have to" answered Rick uneasy "you already did way too much for a guy you don't even know"

"I like to help others" she insisted "plus I've heard you did so much for the people here, let me help you as well now"

Rick thought about it. He wouldn't be able to do much on his own either way. 

"Ok..." he said hesitantly "if it isn't a burden to you"

"No burden at all" she smiled at him with her big bright smile. 

\---

Negan was walking aimlessly around Alexandria being bored. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. The sun had started to set in the horizon and his mind was on Rick. It had been two days now that he hadn't seen him at all. He should forget about him. Not caring where he was or what he was doing. But he just couldn't. 

After their fight, Rick was like he had disappeared. He walked towards his new house just to see if it would have light idicating that he was inside. He wanted to go and demand to talk to him but things weren't that easy. Negan was almost there when he saw the door opening and Princess walked out biding Rick goodbye with a smile. When had those two become so close that she was going to his house until that hour? He hid to not be seen and he watched her leave. What was she doing with Rick? 

Maybe he had found a new girlfriend. Then again Rick was like 15 years older than her. That wasn't the point though. They could may as well be together. He couldn't understand why he felt jealously if the prick had a girlfriend or not. He shouldn't even care but somehow he did. He groaned to himself as he turned his back and walked to Rick's OG house. He was determined to find out. 

Rick was being in pain despite the painkillers. He knew that the only way for it to pass was to have patience and stay in bed as much as possible. The next couple of days Juanita was coming every day for hours and stayed with him. She was cooking and they shared a lot of personal things. Rick understood what Alexandrians had seen in her and she joined the group. She was a special person and most importantly she cared. He felt good to have someone asking how he was feeling and making sure he had what he needed to survive in this difficulty. Rick was out of bed only for some time and was walking very slowly around the house. 

He really wished this passed soon. Negan had been spending his days by spying on Juanita and Rick. He had become obsessed to discover what was going on between them. He didn't say anything to Daryl of course since they didn't talk about Rick but somehow it was stuck in his mind to discover if they had a relationship or not. Five days later he couldn't contain himself anymore as it had been ten at night and she hadn't left yet from Rick's house. So without even thinking about it he walked to Rick's house and knocked on the door. 

Juanita opened the door still laughing from something funny they had been saying with Rick. Her eyes widened as she saw Negan. 

"Negan" she drawled confused "what are you doing here?" Rick had told her all about Daryl and Negan ignoring him since he came back and she felt bad for him. They were being very unfair towards Rick. 

Negan walked into the house uninvited and looked around. 

"Hey what are you doing?" Princess demanded. Where the hell had Negan seen storming into a house like that. Rick was in the kitchen and he was buttoning up his shirt. 

"Juanita who is...-" Rick started and he frowned as he saw Negan in his house. 

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. He didn't want Negan to see him in his situation. 

"In the kitchen Rick? Seriously? Are you that desperate?" Negan mocked him with a grin. 

"What are you talking about?" asked Juanita, as she crossed her arms in annoyance. 

"Yeah" Rick said as he supported himself from a chair "let's hear what do you mean" although he was pretty sure he had understood. 

"You two are together" Negan told them "I mean don't get what you found in him" he said pointedly to Juanita. 

Juanita got pissed off at Negan implying that she and Rick...-

Rick was more mad than her though. 

"Let me handle it" he told her as he saw that she was ready to start shouting "go rest, I've got this"

Princess had tears in her eyes as she left them without saying a word. Negan had implied that she was going to Rick's house to have sex with him like she was some slut or something. Whatever good impression she had of Negan, it was now gone. 

She banged the door behind her. Rick unbuttoned his shirt and showed it to Negan with a stone cold expression. 

"It's hard to have sex when you have all that in your body" he spat at him showing him the scar tissue from ten years ago and he removed the cover to show him his broken ribs. 

Negan's eyes widened as he took notice of Rick's body. 

"When did this happen?" he questioned. 

"Five days ago. A plank fell on me. I can barely walk around but sure. Make fun of me and Juanita when the poor girl was only trying to help me. Don't worry ,my love life remains empty as every other goddamn relationship in my life also!" Rick raised his voice at him as he had hatred all over his face. 

"I-I'm sorry..." muttered Negan as he had screwed up big time. 

"Take your apologies and get the hell out Negan!" Rick told him aggressively. He had embarrassed them both. 

Negan averted his eyes and turned his back and left. 

Rick supported himself from the kitchen's counter as he started sobbing.


	10. Chapter 10

"I'm sorry" said Negan desperately as he was following Princess at the streets of Alexandria. 

She kept ignoring him though and refused to even look at him. 

"I can get on my knees if you want" pleaded Negan. He felt really bad since yesterday. He had taken it too far his rivalry with Rick. 

Juanita finally turned to him and she was very angry. 

"Save your apologies for someone who wants to hear them Negan, because I certainly don't. You fell a lot in my eyes. If you can't behave properly stay away from me and Rick"

"I'm truly sorry" Negan told her trying to justify himself somehow although it was hard with what he had done "I shouldn't have told you these things. That's definitely not what I think of you"

"Oh really? So you don't think that I go with every guy I just meet? You are very kind. Very kind indeed" she spat at him as she turned around and walked away fast. 

Eugene had just finished lesson and was going home when he saw the fight between Princess and Negan, with her storming away. Him and Daryl got on his nerves a lot these days. For Negan wasn't such a surprise because of their past but for Daryl it was. He walked fast towards him. 

"I see that you and Daryl are determined to make everyone at Alexandria mad" he told him as he crossed his arms. 

"I am my own person and Daryl is himself" told him Negan plainly. 

"Funny" said Eugene annoyed "you'd think someone had cloned you. I've said to him and I'll repeat it to you. Stop being assholes. It's getting too much"

"I don't see you saying something about the prick though. Because he is your buddy" Negan said ,raising his voice. 

Eugene looked at him shocked. That was not the Negan that had helped them beat the Whisperers. That was the old Negan who was saying things just to harm them. He shook his head disappointed. 

"If you don't get yourself together" Eugene warned him "I'll interfere to the council myself to have Judith get taken away from you. Tell it to Daryl as well. You've not seen nothing of Eugene Porter" With that he turned his back and left a shocked Negan behind him. 

Of all the threats that Eugene had made over the years that was the most serious one and coming from a guy who had tricked him and the Saviors, Negan had no doubts that he would do it. He didn't want Judith to get taken away from him and Daryl. She was the most important person in his life. 

He had seriously messed up with Rick and he had no idea how he would fix it now. Negan sighed as he felt the threat of Judith getting taken from them. 

Just then he saw her coming his way with her backpack. Negan wasn't in the mood to make even a single joke despite the fact that they used to a lot. Nothing was funny about the situation. 

"Hey kiddo" he told her with a heavy heart "there's lunch at home, let's go eat"


	11. Chapter 11

It was late at night and Judith couldn't sleep. Most of these days she couldn't. Her mind was on Rick, her long lost dad. She sighed as she stared at the ceiling. Suddenly she heard talks from downstairs. She got up quietly and walked down the stair trying not to make noise. Daryl didn't want her staying up this late. The kitchen's door was half opened and it had light inside. 

"Daryl I'm telling you, he's gonna do it" she heard Negan saying urgently. He sounded scared. 

"He's just making threats, you know Eugene" answered Daryl. He wasn't happy at all to find out what had happened between Negan, Rick and Juanita. Like things weren't already tense. He was convinced that Negan wanted a baby sitter. 

"What if he does huh?" Negan demanded "Will all this be worth it then?"

"I'm telling you that he's bluffing, stop worrying" Daryl told him in annoyance. Noone could understand how he was feeling. 

"Fine" Negan spat at him "but if they do decide that Judith will get taken away from us then I'll never speak to you ever again. You will have destroyed my life"

Judith's eyes widened in horror. She didn't need to hear anything else. She ran to her room , got dressed up warmly and grabbed an emergency bag that everyone had in case they needed to leave from Alexandria fast. It had everything she needed to survive. 

She got back down fast as Negan and Daryl were still arguing and got out of the house without them even noticing she was gone. 

"I would have destroyed your life? You know what ,screw you Negan. While you were sitting in a cell, I got tortured with a pregnant Michonne and we almost got killed by psycho kids"  
He pulled up his shirt and showed him the iron mark on his back. "So don't you lecture me about destroyed lives. All of our lives are ruined. A broken mirror ,will stay a broken mirror. It will always have cracks in the surface no matter if you glue the pieces" Daryl told him in anger. 

Negan looked at him silently. He had never told Daryl that he had it easy. He never had it easy. But if they were stuck in the past they would miss tomorrow and tomorrow they could lose Judith. Eugene could tell the council that they were violent and aggressive , just like that Judith would be taken from them. Who would they trust? One of the smartest persons in Alexandria or him - their ex prisoner - and Daryl ,who was known for being unstable in his behavior. 

The worst thing was that he didn't blame Daryl, he blamed only himself. He had once again failed everyone around him and proved what Rick had always known, he can incapable of change. At least for real. He thought he was becoming better, but look at him now. He had fell so damn low.

He left Daryl alone and walked to Rick's room. It was like he never left. They hadn't changed anything. He picked up the picture with Rick, Carl and his wife Lori. They all looked so happy back then. Without a single care. Nothing that would warn them of what the future may hold. He missed Carl so bad. He would go and leave flowers to his grave from time to time. Ten plus years later and they still didn't make the kid's dream come true. He wanted them to live in peace, to make this world better and look at them. They were ready to tear each other up for the pettiest of reasons. 

Maybe Carl indeed didn't know a damn thing.


	12. Chapter 12

It was around five in the morning when Daryl finally decided to head to bed in order to sleep a bit. He would never admit it to Negan but he had been upset by Eugene's words that they would have Judith removed from their unconventional family. Him and Negan had come together exactly for Judith's shake. The Whisperers were just the goad, the main reason they'd put their differences aside ,was Judith. No matter how much they used to bicker with Negan, he loved the weird family they'd created. The prospect of it being ruined was a terrifying concept, maybe that was why he was distant from Rick. He felt like his return would ruin what they had built with such struggle. 

Judith was Rick's kid and not theirs though, but he was not ready for the changes that would be brought if he let Rick interfere. He knew that this thinking was selfish but he wasn't ready to give up on his happiness. What was his purpose if he didn't have Judith and Negan to take care of? He got tired of being on his own. With them he felt alive after a long time. There was no way they would let them take his happiness away. Not again. He passed by Judith's room and thought to cover her with another blanket. The weather had been growing colder and colder. He walked to the dark room and picked up a blanket from the closet. He went to cover Judith and he saw the bed empty. Daryl's eyes widened and he hurried to turn on the light. 

The bed was completely empty. He looked around and Judith's parka was missing as well. Where had this kid went and how she left without them noticing her? Maybe it had happened when him and Negan were arguing - shit, thought Daryl. What if she'd heard their talk? Judith would never put them through all that if she didn't have a serious reason. Perhaps she couldn't take the fact that she may was taken away from them and thought to run off. Negan was asleep and Daryl didn't want to disturb him at this hour. He got dressed warmly, took his crossbow and walked out in the darkness. He shivered from the cold air. 

He had to find Judith. The thought of her in the darkness and cold weather, all alone, absolutely terrified him. 

\---

Negan woke up to someone knocking on the front door. 

"Daryl" he shouted sleepily but he got no answer. 

The knock repeated more urgently. Negan grunted as Daryl wasn't obviously gonna open up. He went downstairs and as he opened the door he came face to face with Eugene who looked annoyed. 

"I'm losing my patience with you two Negan" he said to him in anger. 

"Do we annoy you in your sleep now as well?" Negan demanded to know as he had been sleeping. When had he managed to piss him off again? 

"Judith didn't come to school for a second time in a week" Eugene told him. 

"What?" asked Negan. They'd talked about this and Daryl would be bringing her to school. He checked the house and it was empty. "They are not here" he said to him. 

"Where did they go then? For a trip? It's school day Negan" Eugene said pointedly. 

When had they both left? Negan was getting worried now. He got dressed up quickly and left fast telling Eugene that he would search for them. He asked everyone and noone had seen either of them. Rick was feeling a bit better today and they had decided with Princess to sit at the house's porch to have some lemonade. Suddenly his eye caught Negan who seemed to be in a panic. 

"What the hell happened to him?" he questioned Juanita as she looked at Negan as well. 

Negan saw Rick and Princess staring at him and he swallowed hard. What would he say? "Look Rick your daughter and Daryl just...vanished?" He had to say it though. 

He walked fast towards them. 

"Before you start shouting" he started feeling Rick's eyes on him. Rick didn't like this introduction at all. "Daryl and Judith have gone missing. Noone can find them. They left during the night" he said eventually. 

Rick and Juanita were silent. What did Negan want him to do right now? Kill him? Have an outrage? Lock him up again? 

Instead he took a deep breath. 

"You know that I'm not well and yet you dare to tell me that" Rick told him coldly as he stood up with difficulty "you and me will go find them and if something bad had happened ,you are dead. If I don't come back, you are dead,as well. You will never get to return to Alexandria. I've tolerated enough" Rick snapped at him. 

He walked back to the house to get dressed. He didn't care that he was still in pain. He had to find his daughter. 

Juanita was at a loss of words as she stared at Negan who was averting her eyes. 

"Shame on you" she said as she stood up and left him alone. 

Negan didn't think it was possible to feel more bad at that moment. 

Where the hell are you Daryl, he thought in despair.


	13. Chapter 13

Princess helped Rick put essentials in the RV. He had no idea how far Judith and Daryl could be by now or why they left in the first place. Rick needed to be prepared for every scenario. 

Juanita looked at him and he was still hurting. She sighed. 

"Maybe you shouldn't go Rick. It's too dangerous being out there injured. Perhaps they will return" she suggested. 

"Can't leave my girl out there" he told her shaking his head "I don't trust nor Negan or Daryl"

He looked at Negan who was already at the driver's seat and had not said a single word. 

"Just be careful..." pleaded Princess. 

"In case I don't come back, do not let him back here" he told her. It would be the first time in years were he would be all alone with Negan and he was injured. He wouldn't allow him to kill him and continue living in Alexandria. 

Princess nodded with a sore expression and bid him goodbye. 

Negan and Daryl had changed drastically since Rick came back. Like they didn't care about anything and anyone. She just hoped this situation would have a good ending. 

Rick grunted as he got to the passenger's side. He would prefer to have control of the RV but it was impossible to be driving right now. 

Negan turned on the engine and he drove out of Alexandria's gates. 

Rick's words had hurt him a lot. How was he responsible that Daryl and Judith left without saying a word? Plus it was very harsh that if Rick died that he wouldn't get to go back to Alexandria and if he did that they would kill him. It felt like these first weeks when he had locked him up where he had absolutely no choices. It was either doing what he was told or they would shoot him. He had tried though goddamn it. He guessed his efforts all these years meant nothing. 

Negan drove and he had no idea where Judith and Daryl could be. 

Rick was looking outside the window with a cold expression. His hatred for Negan had enhanced after his daughter's disappearance. 

"Where could they have gone?" he asked him suddenly. 

"Don't know" Negan told him plainly. They were further from Alexandria now but they didn't see any signs of them. Leaving the car and searching while walking wasn't a solution either with Rick's injury. 

"What the hell do you know Negan?" Rick demanded. "I come back, you are free, you've taken my daughter from me and now she's gone missing" he spat at him. 

Negan turned off the engine as he stopped the car. 

"Why are you stopping..-" Rick told him aggressively. 

Negan opened the door to his side and got to Rick's side of the car. He grabbed Rick by the wrist and forced him to get out. 

Rick felt his heart beating faster. What the hell would Negan do to him? He jerked back and released himself from Negan's grasp as he tried to protect his injured ribs.

"I'm sick and tired of your accusations Rick!" Negan snapped at him. 

"You are sick and tired? Huh that's funny" said Rick letting out a humourless chuckle "you know what's really funny. Bad things started happening to my kids when they crossed paths with you. Carl died. When I kept them away from you they were alive" he spat out. 

Negan saw red at that. Screw Rick, seriously. He lost all control he had and attacked him. He tried to not hit his ribs again but he wanted to hurt him. Rick despite his injury he had become way stronger than Negan after all these years. He gave him an admittedly satisfying punch in the face and Negan let out a pained yelp. He regained himself though and grabbed Rick's wrists as he pinned them down at each side of his head. Rick tried to remove Negan from on top of him but his side hurt a lot. 

"Let me go!" he told him venomously. 

Just then they heard guns being pointed at them and they were surrounded by six guys. 

Negan released his grip on Rick slightly as he looked up. 

"Negan?" said the one suddenly. "Holly hell it's you!"

Negan looked at them more carefully and they were ex Saviors. How the hell had they survived? 

"David?" he asked in surprise. He had not seen anyone from the Saviors all this time. 

"It's good to have you back boss" he said and the others agreed. 

Rick stayed silent as he couldn't believe what was happening. 

Negan grinned at them. "It's good to see you all as well"

"We saw you fighting...-" started one. 

"Oh yes" told them Negan like Rick was only an afterthought "this prick is my prisoner and he tried to escape" 

Rick felt his blood run cold at that. 

"We should help you put him in check then" said David with a sinister tone. 

Negan let Rick and two tied his hands behind his back. Rick tried his hardest to escape them but they had guns and it was impossible to defeat them all being injured. 

"You want us to teach him a lesson?" David asked as Rick kept fighting. 

"No" said Negan as he smirked at Rick "I'm sure he got his lesson. Get on your knees and we will forget your escape attempt" he told him threateningly. 

Rick felt his eyes stinging as the two were still holding him. 

"Now!" ordered Negan at his face. 

He had no other choice but to do what he was told.  
So he got on his knees with struggle and he looked at Negan who had a grin spread on his face. 

He grabbed his head by the hair and forced him to look up at him. 

"Good boy" he told him "you're forgiven"

"Do you want to come with us to our camp? We need you Negan" said David as he smirked at the view of Negan being in charge again. 

Negan thought about it. The thought of being with Saviors again was very compelling and Rick as his prisoner was exactly what this prick deserved. 

"Sure" he told them as Rick had tears in his eyes. 

They got him to his feet and forced him to walk as Negan followed right behind them.


	14. Chapter 14

"Judith! Judith! " 

Daryl had been yelling for Judith in the darkness for over an hour now. He hoped that somehow she would hear him and follow his voice. But she was nowhere to be seen and he felt fear taking over him. Where could she have ran off to? He didn't know the reasons she left but they would could have dealt with it. Putting herself in danger wasn't a solution to anything. What would Rick say? He had endangered his daughter that he spent years trying to get back to. He should just keep looking and he would find her. How far could she had gone after all. 

The lack of sleep wasn't helping him at all though as his reactions were slower than usual. Maybe he should have woken up Negan so they could search together. He didn't even left him a note. Daryl just wished they would be back in time or he would be very worried for sure. He was an asshole most of the time, but Daryl knew that he had come to care for him and Judith. Now the kid was gone and he was no idea how he would find her. 

Suddenly he heard growls behind him and he saw four walkers approaching him in the darkness. He shot the three with the crossbow but he missed the fourth one and came dangerously close to him. It managed to get him on the ground and Daryl fought hard to get it off him. The Walker was covered with some greenery slime that smelled a lot. What the hell was that? He eventually managed to grab an arrow and pierced it to his head. Just when he thought that he had managed to get through this, he felt a big pain in his eyes. His head started hurting and his vision was blurry. What had happened to him? Daryl groaned as he tried to clear his eyes with his shirt. 

Maybe that slime that the Walker had was the cause of his eye problems. He managed to clear his eyes eventually and he stood up. He wanted to continue searching for Judith, when he heard the sound of leaves crumbling behind him. He turned around quickly and saw Alpha staring at him with interest. 

Daryl blinked hard. Alpha was dead for so many years, how was he seeing her now? 

Alpha approached him with her creepy walk. 

"You seeing a ghost?" she told him mockingly. 

"Yes" said Daryl coldly "you are dead, Negan killed you, he slit your throat"

"Well you're not getting rid of me, so better get comfortable" she told him ,as she smirked at him. 

"You're not real" growled Daryl ,annoyed that he was seeing her again. 

"Your mind tells you otherwise ,so that's what matters" she said, looking very pleased. 

\---

Judith kept running until her legs hurt. She knew that she would disappoint Negan and Daryl with her decision ,but she was tired of the constant fightings. Maybe without her they could finally fix their relationship with each other. She kept herself on alarm for possible Walkers as she had her Katana in her hands. She pulled the zipper of her parka higher as the air was cold. The issue was where she would be going all alone. She had no doubts that she could survive,she had learned from the best after all, but she had to find shelter. 

Out of sudden she heard talks in the near distance. 

"Hope, I'm telling you, we have to find him" said one girl ,sounding scared. 

"I know Iris, I know, but how? That's why we have to do what father told us first" told her another girl. 

"Felix is strong" said one male voice that belonged to a boy "he sacrificed himself so we could get away. We have to find them soon and go save him" he told them urgently. They didn't sound happy at all. 

Judith hid behind a tree as their voices were getting closer. 

"We are probably lost" said the first female voice ,as they stood there ,unsure of where to go. 

Judith stepped on one branch by accident and it made noise as it cracked. 

"Who is there?" demanded the boy "reveal yourself now"

Judith had no other choice and she got out from her hiding spot. 

She saw one girl with brown short hair, a black chubby girl with her hair made in a braid and one thin boy with short ,brown ,curly hair. They all had weapons and they were ready to use them. Judith kept her Katana raised as well in order to defend herself if needed. 

Their eyes widened as they saw that she was just a kid. 

"Maybe we should kill her..." suggested the boy. 

"No way" said the one girl "she is just a kid, younger than us even"

She lowered her weapon to show that she wasn't a threat. 

"We don't mean to hurt you" said the girl trying to show Judith that she was serious. "What are you doing out here all alone? Are you lost?"

"No, I ran away" Judith said eventually. They didn't seem like a threat after all. She hoped her instinct was right. 

"You can come with us if you'd like" the girl said "my name is Hope, this is my sister, Iris" as she showed the black girl beside her "and our friend, Elton"

They all lowered their weapons as they looked at each other. 

"What's your name?" asked Hope. 

"I'm Judith" she told them. 

"Well ,nice to meet you Judith" Hope told her, as she gave her a small nod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Judith meets the teens from World Beyond in this chapter. Since the show is not out yet and I have no clue what their characters are like, I'll base them from the trailers I've seen for the show. Thanks a lot to anyone who is taking time to comment, I do appreciate them. I would like to point out that Daryl and Negan are behaving like that for the story's shake, I know that they would all be very happy to see Rick again. But if you think about it, for them it's been 10 years that Rick is gone. In real life if someone comes back after a decade there's no guarantee that what you had with the other person will be the same especially considering what they went through. Also Judith has bonded with Negan/Daryl way more than Rick, he is a stranger to her. The whole story is about redeveloping their relationship. Daryl's situation in this chapter is a mix between Carol hallucinating Alpha and Aaron that got blinded while fighting the Walker. Hope you enjoy it so far


	15. Chapter 15

Rick had been resisting in every step of the way until Negan had to threaten that he would knock him out if he continued ,giving him a warning glare. Rick felt like an utter fool. He should have never been left alone with Negan. They were doing completely different things from what they came out there for, to search for Judith. Not only that but Negan had found an opportunity to lie and make him his prisoner because he knew that he was injured and outnumbered. He sweared to himself at that moment that when he would get free, he wouldn't even bother locking Negan up again. This time he would slit his throat once again and let him bleed out. 

His mind wandered to Daryl and what he would say if he saw his new "buddy" now. Some of his ex people and it was enough to get back to his old version. He found opportunity to punish him apparently for defeating him. His behavior only proved what Rick already knew. Negan didn't give a damn about anyone but himself. He didn't care about Judith being all alone out there and he certainly didn't care about him and his need to find his kid. Who knows what they would be doing to him now that he was supposedly Negan's prisoner. The only good thing was that they didn't seem to recognize him that he was Rick Grimes, the guy that defeated them in the first place. He was sure that they wouldn't be so lenient if they knew who he really was. If Negan kept his mouth shut, at least he wouldn't have to worry about that as well. 

Negan's mind was working fast as he saw that Rick finally subdued after threatening to knock him out. He had no clue how they would get out of this situation and continue their search for Judith. They had guns while he and Rick didn't and they'd caught them by surprise when he and Rick had been punching each other. Rick being his prisoner was an answer that he knew would be accepted by the ex Saviors. They were apparently dying to see him make people submit to his will once again. He didn't on the other hand. He may had gotten very angry at Rick's words, that he was the reason his kids were hurt, but he found no joy in making Rick kneel for him with his puppy blue eyes tearing up and looking up at him like he was a monster. Plus Rick was injured and now they were making him walk while tied up tightly. 

They finally reached their cars and David ordered his men to put Rick at the back of the truck. Negan observed them to make sure that they wouldn't harm Rick even more but thankfully they didn't. Rick didn't try to escape again and sat down without saying a word. Negan saw a slight tremble of his body and felt very bad. All he wanted was to kill them all right here and free Rick. But he knew that was not possible right now. Rick didn't even look at him as the men secured the truck's door that it was locked so that he wouldn't jump off and get away. Negan hoped Daryl had luck finding Judith because he didn't think they would be getting out of this situation soon enough. 

He knew that the Sanctuary was long gone, because he'd seen it for himself ,but he had no idea that there were Saviors who had survived. They had a camp as well? This whole situation was very worrisome. They had to eliminate them and soon or they would be a threat to Alexandria and what they'd struggled to built all these years. Negan had no interest to become part of their group and play king shit again. Alexandria was his home. Making others submit to him ,gave him no pleasure for years now. He had witnessed how it was to feel helpless and he didn't like it at all. Once upon a time he felt validation to have people fear him and kneel when he entered a room. Now he felt disgust. For himself mostly. 

He and Rick were very screwed. Very screwed indeed. 

\---

"What the hell do you want from me?" Daryl demanded. 

"I'm not real Daryl" said Alpha while smirking. "If you are not real you can't take things from someone"

"Leave me alone then" Daryl snapped at her. 

"Can't do, not until you stop hallucinating"

"I have to find Judith" he growled at her. 

"Oh yes, of course you have to. The kid that your best friend made all the sacrifices for and you with Negan thought you were entitled to have as your own"

Daryl ignored her and started walking. Alpha followed him from up close. 

"Who are you?" Alpha questioned suddenly. 

Daryl felt his body stiffen at that question. 

"Daryl" he answered like he had said to Negan back then as well. 

"I'm not so sure" Alpha mocked him "you are becoming more like Negan with every single day that passes"

"He cares about me" Daryl snapped at her aggressively. 

"Rick cares about you too and yet you didn't even ask him what he's been through 10 years now" Alpha pointed out. 

"It's complicated" he spat out. 

"It really isn't though , is it? You simply don't care about him. If anything you feel threatened now that he is back"

"That's not true" said Daryl as he shook his head in denial. 

"You can't escape from yourself Daryl" Alpha told him in a cold tone. "Lie all you want to me, but you can't lie to yourself"

"Shut up" he demanded. 

"You are the reason he got taken away, you know that right?" Alpha whispered to him "you "kidnapped" him, so that Maggie would be free to put your plan in motion and then he got forced to take on that horde. If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't have missed a single day from his family. Judith and RJ would adore him. Michonne would still be with him. You stole his happiness "

Daryl sat at the ground as he let himself sob hard. 

"Tears won't bring back time" told him Alpha as she leaned close to his ear.


	16. Chapter 16

"So Mr...Felix Carlucci" said one man to Felix who was tied up to a chair and his nose was bleeding "You are a feisty one, I'll give you that. Feisty people don't survive long though. Especially not around here"

Felix growled at him. 

The man smirked evily. "You have one more chance to say where your friends are. The ones that were with you and got away? Yep those ones"

"Go to hell" said Felix. They could torture him all they wanted. He would never put Hope, Iris and Elton in danger. 

The man sighed as he shook his head. 

"Perhaps your boyfriend will come save you instead of them. Think of the fun you're gonna have together" the man said as he showed him the picture they had found when they were searching him for weapons. 

"Leave them out of this!" Felix snapped. 

"You know what?" asked the man as he got closer to his face "it doesn't even matter. You are from our youngest catches although you're like 30,right? But it's ok. You will be working for us from now and on. Oh and don't get any ideas of running away. Lock him up" he said to two guards. 

They took him forcefully by the arms and led him to a cold dark cell. 

Felix heard them locking behind him and he ran his fingers through his short brown hair in despair. Who would protect them now that he was caught? He gave a promise to Professor Bennett before he died. That he would do everything to protect his daughters. 

He just wished they could make it on their own now that he was gone and do what their father asked them. 

Find Rick Grimes. 

\---

"Felix!" yelled Hope as she woke up breathing fast. 

Iris ran by her side.

"It was just a dream, just a dream" she told her as she tried to calm her down. 

Hope whipped the tears from her eyes. She was terrified of the prospect of Felix dying. He was a fighter but they always had each other. She missed him terribly already. If they could have caught her instead of him she would gladly surrender. But things didn't work like that. 

Felix was their rock. Someone to look up to. Her dad was gone and they only had each other now. If he died as well, she didn't think she could be able to move on. Not even for her sister's shake. They had put miles between them and their home. It was uncharted waters for them. All that on a prospect of finding this man that could protect them. Hope was becoming desperate that this thing would never happen. 

Judith and Elton were still sleeping. They had all been very tired and stopped to rest while setting on a fire to keep warm. Iris had given Judith her sleeping bag as she decided to stay awake to keep watch. 

She sat next to Hope and they looked at Elton and Judith. 

"You think we can trust her?" asked Iris. 

Hope didn't know for sure but she was just a kid all alone. 

"Not sure but we couldn't leave her. I think that we did the best thing. Father took us in when we needed it the most..." she let out a sob as she remembered their father. "I miss him so bad Iris" 

Iris sighed as she tried to comfort her adopted sister. 

"I miss him too. There's not a single day that passes were I don't miss him. He wanted us to find a shelter though. That's why we begun this trip in the first place" she told her. 

"Let's wish he was right..." Hope mumbled. 

Rick Grimes was the only one who could help them free Felix. 

\---

The cars stopped and Rick was forced to get out. Negan shot him an indiffererent glare as he exited the truck as well. Two guys grabbed him again to keep him in control. 

When the cars were out of their view, Rick's eyes widened. It was a factory again. When they talked about a camp he was expecting something small. Not something that big. This was like the Sanctuary all over again. 

Negan was dumbfounded as well. How the hell had they made a Sanctuary 2.0? He guessed that all these years when they had been developing Alexandria, they had been doing the same and somehow they never crossed paths before. 

"Impressive huh?" asked him David as he saw Negan looking at their handy work. 

"Very" agreed Negan although on the inside he was feeling fear. Things were way more complicated than what he had originally thought. 

He never expected to have to deal with an organized community of ex Saviors. The first thing he saw when they entered their gates was someone beating a guy who was trying to defend himself. 

"Ts ts" said David at the view "they can't just cooperate"

The beaten up guy looked absolutely miserable. 

Rick was terrified. They were apparently catching people in order to make them work for them. 

His fate was hanging from one single string. If Negan handed him over to do what they pleased with him, he would end up like the guy he just saw. 

If he thought he had it bad already, was because he hadn't seen this place yet.


	17. Chapter 17

"He would have been happy" continued Alpha ignoring Daryl's words to go away. 

Daryl just sat there staring at the grass. 

"Fun fact is that Negan knew about the helicopters,do you know that?" she told him as she sat next to him "he did for a long time now and that Jadis had connections with them and yet, he never mentioned a single thing"

"He couldn't know that they had to do with Rick's disappearance!" Daryl spat out. She was desperately trying to turn him against Negan. "Stop blaming Negan. He did horrible things in the past but they are over now, he has changed"

"If I told you that he holds Rick as a prisoner right now, what would you say?" she told him as Daryl's eyes widened. 

"That you are lying. You're a liar" Daryl replied. Negan was at Alexandria. 

In front of them appeared Negan being on top of Rick who was in pain and he was beating him up in anger while Rick tried to defend himself. It was like seeing a hologram or something. 

"He is not treating anyone like that years now" Daryl growled "this is a lie. What was stopping him to do that to me as well? I'm living at the same house as he" he told her exasperated. Negan had every opportunity to be hurting him. 

"That's because he had so much to lose if he didn't behave in an acceptable manner. Do you really think he did anything for the greater good? He killed me to be accepted by you, to have a place to eat and sleep comfortably. If that wasn't at stake he would be more than ok to stay with me. We would have ruled ,him and I. Noone would stop us"

"Regardless his reasons" Daryl intervened "he cared about me and Judith...-"

"Oh yes of course he cares about Judith, when he was threatening to kill her dad and Carl though and bury them, he didn't care that a toddler would be left without her family"

"Fine so Negan and me are the worst people in this world and others suffer because of us, got your point" Daryl snapped at her. 

"You are defensive because you don't want to admit the big role you played in Rick's miserable life. If he dies because of Negan, the guilt will catch up to you and there will be no escaping it" Alpha told him in her cold tone. 

"Leave me the hell alone at last" Daryl spat out. 

"Me? Blame the hallucination Daryl. If you had stayed at home and kept watch on Judith instead of bickering with Negan, none of it would have happened"

"She probably got scared by the news that they may take her from us" said Daryl exasperated "if she didn't like us or we were mistreating her,as you suggest, she would have ran away by now. She knows we did everything we could for her"

"Whatever helps you sleep at nights..." drawled Alpha as Daryl gave her a murderous glare. 

\---

Judith had been walking with Elton, Iris and Hope. It turned out they were some years older than her. 

"So why did you run away?" asked Elton trying to be friendly. He felt bad that he had suggested to kill her. She seemed like a good kid that shouldn't be all alone. 

Judith sighed and looked at him. 

"It's complicated..." she drawled unsure. She didn't know how to explain that her dad had been missing for years, that her father's best friend and his arch enemy were taking care of her all this time and now that he came back they were constantly fighting. Who would believe that? 

"Were they abusive?" Elton questioned confused. 

"No" Judith shook her head negatively "they never laid a hand on me. None of them. I just needed to be on my own"

Elton looked at her puzzled. 

"If I had a loving family I would never leave them" he said as he shrugged his shoulders "I never got to experience what it's like to have a father and mother to love me or even care. At least I found these guys. They became my family and Felix..." he told her as his mood darkened. 

"Who is Felix?" Judith questioned. 

"Someone very important to us" Iris intervened "He is older than us but our father took him in our family and he has been our protector ever since. He was with us but some people captured him. We have no idea what they want from him" she said feeling fear filling her up. 

"You have to save him then!" Judith exclaimed. 

"We want to but we need to find a place first that our father told us about be-before he passed away" said Hope with a sob. 

"What place is that?" Judith questioned. Hope pulled out a map and showed it to her. 

"Alexandria" she said as she found it on the map. 

Judith's eyes widened at that. They were looking for the place she ran away from. 

"Are you ok?" questioned Elton worried as she had paled.

"Alexandria is my home" she told them. 

"What?" said all of them in unison. 

"Yeah, I've lived there my whole life..." said she. 

"You must know Rick Grimes then!" Hope exclaimed. 

"Erm yes...he is my father" Judith told them feeling very weird. 

"Can't believe it" Iris told them "that's great news! Our father and Felix knew him, we didn't. But father told us to find him. That he would protect us now that he is gone. He is the only one who can help us with Felix's situation as well"

Judith looked down at the grass. She felt just weird hearing them talking about her dad with such "awe". He would offer protection to some teens he never even knew and yet she had been left alone for over a decade. 

"I can show you how to go to Alexandria but you will go alone. Pretend that we never met. I'm never going back there"

"Rick Grimes is your dad and you chose to run away?" Elton asked. 

"He is not my dad. For years now" Judith spat at him. 

Iris, Elton and Hope just looked at each other taken back by her reaction. Wasn't Rick Grimes the person that their father had described? 

\---

"So this is your room" said David as he showed Negan a big room with a king size bed in the middle and in general it was very comfortable. 

"Thank you David" answered Negan with a smirk "I'm really impressed by your work"

"We hope you can help us grow even more" David told him with a grin "it's good to have you back"

"Same, it feels nice to be around my people" said Negan. 

"Do you want us to put him in a cell?" David asked as he pointed at Rick who was still tied up and he was struggling to stand. His side was killing him by now. 

"Nah" said Negan as he smirked at Rick "I want to punish him for his behavior today. Tomorrow maybe. If I'm to help you can't have him interfering. Plus some time locked up will do him good"

"For sure" grinned David "I'll leave you to it then. Goodnight Negan"

David left and closed the door behind him. 

Negan walked fast to the door and locked. He pressed his ear to the door to be sure he had left. 

Rick was ready to start shouting. He didn't even know how he had kept himself all day long. 

"I swear to God-" Rick spat out venomously. 

Negan walked fast in front of him and looked at him seriously. 

"Shhh!" he demanded. 

"Don't "shhh" me" Rick whisper shouted in anger. "What the hell are you doing all day?"

"I know that you love making scenarios in your head" Negan told him "but I'm on your side"

"Oh really? Maybe I should tell them to tie you up as well" Rick snapped at him and went to leave. 

Negan grabbed him by the arm though to keep him still. 

"I didn't know about this. I swear to God. I know what they like and saying you're my prisoner was something that would satisfy them"

"Judith is out there!" Rick spat out "you think I care about some psychos satisfaction? My kid is in danger while you're playing games. I swear that I'm gonna kill you-"

"Not today, not tomorrow?" Negan questioned as he raised his eyebrow. 

"I will do it this time" Rick told him in anger. 

"We both know that you won't. Now be good and play along. I want to get out of here as much as you do. In way to do so you will have to obey my orders though and not do whatever comes to your head. You saw what happens to anyone who doesn't do what they want" 

"You know what? Screw you Negan!" Rick told him. 

"Will you behave in order to untie you?" Negan questioned. 

Rick was in need to lay down at last. 

He let out an annoyed groan and Negan gave him a small smirk. He finally untied him and helped him lay down. 

"How are your ribs?" questioned Negan. 

Rick looked with a struggle and they weren't good. 

Negan sighed. "I'll tell them to give me things tomorrow so we can wrap it up"

Rick hummed in disbelief and before he could argue any longer his eyes closed against his will. He was exhausted from this day. 

Negan opened a blanket and covered him. Rick had black circles under his eyes and looked completely drained. He had to find a way to get them the hell out of there.


	18. Chapter 18

Rick was tossing and turning in bed violently. 

"No, please don't" he let out ,as he sobbed. He woke up and he had tears rolling down his cheeks. 

Negan was already awakened by Rick's distress and was by his side of the bed. He looked at him with worry. 

"Hey shhh, it's ok" he told him, trying to comfort him "it was just a nightmare"

Rick remembered who he was laying next to and whipped the tears fast. He had to be laying on his back because it hurt to even shift his body. 

"It wasn't a nightmare. It was the reality" Rick let out as he took a trembling breath. 

"What do you mean?" asked Negan as he turned to look at him. It was very late at night so they didn't risk anyone hearing them. Kept their voices lowered regardless though. 

Rick wasn't sure he wanted to tell him. But he was stuck with Negan in this lie that he was his supposed prisoner. 

"Jadis found me almost dead. I would bleed out without her no matter how much I came to hate her for what she did to me. CRM was like this place we are now. But way more advanced. They were keeping us locked up. Not in a simple cell like the one in Alexandria, like a maximum level prison..." Rick sobbed out. 

Negan just stared at him unsure of what to say. He didn't think that Rick would have gone through something similar as he ,but way worse. 

"I know it doesn't mean much coming from a guy like me, but...I am sorry" Negan told him quietly as he put his hand on top of Rick's and gave him a light squeeze. 

Rick flinched a bit when Negan touched him but he didn't remove his hand. He looked at him feeling tired and he was. Both physically and emotionally. 

"Sleep Rick" told him Negan and he did as he was told. He was asleep again in seconds. 

Negan looked at their hands and realized how wrong they had been treating Rick. Both he and Daryl ,but especially he. It was his belief that Rick had it easy. He didn't know that they had been treating him like that and it was only the tip of the iceberg. Rick started from imprisonment and this probably continued for ten years in order to finally free himself. He had insulted him once again, beat him up and now he was his responsibility. Rick was right to lash out, he had to be the calm one from now and on, because he was making the tension even worse between them. 

He sighed as he stared at sleeping Rick. If he was feeling tired of being locked up, he could imagine how Rick was feeling. Then it was the image of Rick's body back at his house. They must have been beating him up as well. Now he had the injury on top of everything else. Judith had never spent a night all alone out there also. Either he or Daryl were making sure she went to bed and that she was comfortable. Negan imagined her out there in the darkness and cold all alone and his heart was breaking. He squeezed Rick's warm hand to find some comfort and he closed his eyes again as well. 

Tomorrow would be a long day. 

\---

Judith had been walking with Elton, Iris and Hope back to Alexandria. A silence had fallen between them. 

She kept thinking everything they told her and she sighed. 

"I don't know what he is like. That is the truth" she admitted at last. She hadn't spent more than a few minutes in Rick's presence since he came back and she didn't feel good about it. 

When she was younger everyone had been telling her about the brave man that took down the walkers and saved them all. She had spent so much time dreaming of meeting him. But the days, turned to weeks and then to years. The dreams of meeting him finally stopped. It was useless of dreaming something that was never gonna happen, right? Plus he had imprisoned Negan, who she was the first one to believe in. Even when everyone else believed he should rot in prison, she didn't. She, uncle Daryl and Negan came to become a family. 

They had spent hours and hours together. Negan was cooking every single day to make sure that both she and Daryl ate, they were playing games, training her how to use the crossbow (Negan had tried with Lucille as well when he still had her but Daryl had given him an angry glare and dropped the idea). All the memories she had were with them. When the man from her younger dreams finally came back she was overtaken by a denial. Like he had been staying away on purpose when that wasn't the truth. She didn't even give him a chance. 

She took a trembling breath as guilt was filling her up. 

"Judith' said Hope as she gave her a warm hug " It's ok. You don't have to explain yourself. Rick may be who father told us or he may won't. Your relationship with him is something completely separate. You need to take your time and not force yourself to feel things that you don't "

Elton and Iris agreed. They shouldn't have pressured her about Rick. 

Judith finally calmed down at their words. 

"What matters now is Felix" she said to them "come on, we have to hurry to take you to Alexandria" she continued as she took the lead. 

\---

Daryl woke up and he was laying on his back. He expected to see Walkers or Alpha but he didn't. 

He was in bed at some wooden cabin, his crossbow was right beside him. 

Suddenly the door of his room opened and his eyes widened. 

"Connie?" he exclaimed. 

She gave him a warm smile as she looked at him. 

Daryl got up quickly and hurried to give her a hug. She was wearing a warm brown sweater.

Tears appeared in his eyes as he hugged her. He didn't realise how much he had been missing her until now. 

"Missed you so much" Daryl sobbed. 

Connie hugged him as well and she pulled back to talk to him. She had tears in her eyes as well. Daryl had years to see her. After the Whisperer's war she had decided to pursue a path on her own after everything that she went through. Daryl couldn't blame her but he had spent a long time feeling like somehow he was the cause of her leaving. 

"I was coming back to Alexandria when I found you laying without your senses" she motioned him with her hands "I was so worried" she continued with tears in her eyes. 

Daryl sighed. 

"Some Walkers attacked me and they had a hallucinative substance on them" he told her. He didn't expand on how he had been seeing Alpha and their talk. It wouldn't be good to upset her right now. 

"Found you and brought you here with the horse" she motioned him "it's a cabin I've been using before I left"

"I-" Daryl started "I can't thank you enough Connie. You saved my life"

Connie embraced him in a big hug again. 

Daryl felt hopeful after a very long time.


	19. Chapter 19

Negan woke up first and saw that Rick looked to be in pain beside him. Yesterday had worsened his situation with the ribs by forcing him to stand all day long. He had to persuade them to leave him in bed at least for today. Negan wasn't planning for them to stay long there. As soon as possible him and Rick would be out of there, then they would say it to the rest in Alexandria. They couldn't deal with it on their own. He was really worried about Judith and Daryl as well. Would they be ok?

He sighed as he got up and dressed himself. Rick was in need of sleep. He gave him one last glare and got out of the room. 

"Good morning Negan" told him David. 

"Morning David" said Negan as he put on a fake smile. 

"Did you have issues with your prisoner?" he asked him as he saw that Negan had left him to the room. 

"He had the issues for behaving like that. He is pretty beaten up. So I'll show him some mercy and let him be for today"

"You sure you can trust him?" questioned David. 

"Yes, after yesterday he won't try anything" he told him to give him a false sense of safety. If Rick was well there would be noone to stop him. 

"Ok then" he told him "We have a lot of feisty ones. They need to be put in their place quickly and efficiently. We have been growing as you can see and we can't risk anyone getting in the way"

If you only knew, thought Negan. His days with the Saviors were over and he wasn't willing to go back. Ever again. 

"Of course" Negan said with a grin. 

\---

"So you don't know where she is?" motioned Connie worried. 

"No" Daryl sighed with frustration "I've had these Walkers attacking me and had been hallucinating ever since"

They had been walking with Connie and looking around at the early hours of the morning but with no luck. 

"How had you been Daryl?" she questioned suddenly. 

Daryl didn't know what to tell her. He had messed up many things.

"You know with Negan...raising up Judith"

"And how had this been going?" she motioned him. 

"Eghh... Negan will always be his usual self. At least he cares now. If someone would have told that I would willingly live with him, I would have said that they are clearly out of their minds" Daryl told her and she let out a small chuckle. 

"I've missed Judith and RJ" Connie showed him with her hands. 

"They have grown up a lot" told her Daryl "will be happy to see you, if we find her first of course..." he added worried. 

"Why would she ran away?" asked Connie confused. Judith wasn't the type of kid to cause such problems. 

Daryl let out a sigh. 

"Rick came back. Judith's dad and there had been a lot of tension between us. Between him, me and Negan I mean. Eugene threatened to take Judith from me and Negan if that tension wasn't resolved. I had been discussing it with Negan and she may heard us" Daryl told her with a sore expression. 

Connie was surprised by the news. 

"Wasn't Rick your best friend? I remember you talking to me with such great words"

"Yeah, it's just that it became complicated ten years he had been missing. I'm not proud of how things are between us though, don't get me wrong..."

Connie sighed. 

"What matters now is Judith. When she is safe you will have the time to solve everything" she told him as she patted his arm, trying to comfort him. 

"Yeah..." drawled Daryl unsure. 

\---

"We are almost there" said Judith as she saw the all too familiar road she had shot Negan off the bike. 

"We can take it from here" told her Hope "thank you a lot for your help, we wouldn't have made it without you"

"I'm glad that I could be helpful" said Judith as she looked past them at the road to Alexandria and felt loneliness. She missed her home but she had decided to not go back. 

"Hope that you can find what you're looking for here" she told them as she focused on them again. 

"Wish so too" said Iris "Felix needs us"

"They will definitely help you" told them Judith. There was no way Alexandrians would leave their friend all helpless. They would find whoever took him , she was sure of it. 

"Wish you find what you are looking for as well" said Elton as he gave her a comforting pat at her arm "You are a good kid after all"

"You too" Judith told him with a small smirk. "Glad that I got to meet you"

"We too" said Iris and Hope as they gave her a hug. 

Judith turned her back and left them to continue their short walk to Alexandria. She had no idea what she would be doing or where she would go, but at least she had helped some people in need.


End file.
